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These names are seldom above the title, so you might not know who they are. But, you have probably been affected by their work, and I suppose, in the final analysis, that is what’s most important. With that, I give you The Twenty GreatestUnderrated Directors.

In no particular order…

Hal Ashby. Former film editor had some big hits in the 1970’s, Shampoo (1975) and Coming Home (1978), bringing his own special brand of counterculture to all his best work.

Paul Mazursky. He brought an ethnic quality to his humanistic landscapes, Harry and Tonto (1974) and Unmarried Woman (1978). He also had a gift with dialog.

Robert Mulligan. Much of Mulligan’s work is from an observer’s distance, yet the emotions are always full. His work with children in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) is among the finest ever elicited by a director.

Martin Ritt. Actors not only did their best work under his guidance but also their most honest. Films include Hud (1963) and Norma Rae (1979).

Robert Aldrich. Independent director had a couple of big hits, Baby Jane (1962) and Dirty Dozen (1967). However, his real originality was displayed in KissMe Deadly (1955), one of the best of all film noirs.

Richard Fleisher. Son of animator Max Fleisher made two excellent crime dramas, Compulsion (1958) and The Boston Strangler (1968), and possibly Disney’s best live action feature 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954).

Alan Pakula. Once a producer only, To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), Pakula made some fine films that have both an intelligence and a verve, Klute (1971) and All The President’s Men (1976).

Bill Forsyth. This Scottish filmaker has a penchant for the eccentric and made some beautiful films, Housekeeping (1987) and Local Hero (1983).

Bob Rafelson. Having made such a sensation with Five Easy Pieces (1970), the rest of his filmography seems disappointing, but Stay Hungry (1975) is quite interesting.

William Dieterle. He definitely brought a Germanic look to all of his best films, Hunchback (1939) and The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941). He was one of the many German ex-patriots that Hollywood embraced during the 1930’s.

Frank Perry. Most of his scripts were written by his wife Eleanor, but Perry brought his own detached melancholy to the best of his works, David andLisa (1962) and Last Summer (1969).

George Pal. Former animator of Puppetoons (1932), Pal made some unique entries into the fantasy genre , The Time Machine (1960) and 7 Faces of Dr.Lao (1964).

Ralph Nelson. Former television director, he hit his stride in the 1960’s with his Lilies of the Field (1963) and Charly (1968).

Michael Ritchie. Thematically, his best films are about America’s obsession with competition, The Candidate (1972) and Bad News Bears (1976).

Robert Siodmak. Another German director with an expressionistic eye, he made two gems from the noir world, The Killers (1946) and Criss Cross (1947).

John Frankenheimer. His range as a director is quite remarkable. His best work, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), shows a European influence.

John Sturges. He was primarily known for action films like The Magnificent Seven (1964). However, he made an important film about racism, Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), which showcased his capabilities.

Jules Dassin. Blacklisted director had one popular international hit, Neverona Sunday (1960). His early noir efforts produced the classic Night and the City (1950), but because of McCarthyism, he was not allowed to work in his country.

Stanley Donen. His brilliant work with Gene Kelly overshadowed his fine solo work which includes Charade (1963) and the unusual Two for the Road (1967).

Dario Argento. Italian horror maestro has some set pieces that have to be seen to be believed. Some key films are Deep Red (1975) and Suspira (1977).

My, but this has been a most perverse election year. Just plain ugly. However, it has made me reflect on a genre that is not easy to do by any standard-the political film. I think these films work best when the personal becomes the political. So, on that note, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Political Films”.

In no particular order…

1.”The Best Man” (1964) Franklin J. Schaffner. Based on a play by Gore Vidal, this smart film shows the ugliness that goes into a political campaign.

5.”Battle of Algiers” (1967) Gilo Pontecorvo. It feels like it’s happening in real time, but this monumental piece is perhaps one of the most realistic of political films.

6.”Nashville” (1975) Robert Altman. Critically-acclaimed Altman film looks at the fabric of America, and how easily it can tear.

7.”Seven Days in May” (1964) John Frankenheimer. Rod Serling scripted this intense film about a possible military takeover in government.

8.”The Candidate” (1972) Michael Ritchie. This film has a documentary feel to it. Also, it’s one of the most incisive films about our electoral process.

9.”Norma Rae” (1979) Martin Ritt. One of the better films made about the labor movement. This humanistic director always brought out the best in his actors.

10.”A Face in the Crowd” (1957) Elia Kazan. This was way before its time. Kazan and Shulberg put together a remarkable film about the building of a demigod. An early reminder of the danger of the media (television). Timely, eh?

11.”Gabriel Over the White House” (1933) Gregory La Cava. A really unique film about a conservative who has a political conversion after a head injury.

12.”Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939) Frank Capra. Naive, but still entertaining look at an innocent thrown into the madness that is Washington.

13.”The Great Dictator” (1940) Charles Chaplin. The moment he breaks character and talks to the audience is one of the most moving moments in cinematic history.

14.”Salvador” (1986). Oliver Stone. My favorite of Stone’s films; it is able to convey its message without sacrificing its stylistic cool.

15.”The Year of Living Dangerously” (1983) Peter Weir. Weir is more spiritual as a director than he is political, but the mysticism that surrounds this film makes its point, potently.

16.”Under Fire” (1982) Roger Spottiswoode. It’s remarkable that any film as progressive as this one was released during Reagan’s reign.

17.”All the President’s Men” (1976) Alan Pakula. Politics as a detective story…that is what’s so great about this film.

18.””Wag the Dog” (1997) Barry Levinson. Clever satire of a political cover-up dressed as a war. It’s funny and quite alarming.

19.”Cutter’s Way. (1982) Ivan Passer. This modern day Moby Dick is in it’s own way political. This Ahab is going after the great white capitalist!

20.”The Last Emperor” (1987) Bernardo Bertolucci. People were so infatuated by its visual opulence that they may have missed its sly Marxist message.

The musical gave a whole lot of folks employment-singers, dancers, choreographers, etc. It also lifted people’s spirits during the Great Depression. But, the film musical has all but disappeared. My brother rejected the genre early on for its more fantastic elements. Where, I, on the other hand, would love to break into a song at just about any moment. Perhaps we’ve become too cynical for its simple charms. Whatever the reasons, when the musicals were good, they were fabulous. So, with that, I give you “The twenty Greatest Musicals”.

Is it an achievement to mess with the audience, to play with their sensibilities? Well, it could be, if there’s a psychology behind it, or if it’s tied to something that’s significant. Now, is that entertainment? I believe Martin Scorsese said it best when he was referring to the films of Cronenberg-“He goes to the soft spot in our brain”. So, with these intriguing thoughts, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Disturbing Films”.

In no particular order…

1.”Dead Ringers” (1988) David Cronenberg. It’s hard to describe the feeling that Cronenberg evokes in this most disquieting of films-something like majestic fatalism.

2.”Lord of the Flies” (1963) Peter Brooks. This film so terrified me when I was young that it’s still hard for me to talk about it. I will say just say this: Creepy murdering English boys, yikes!

I must have larceny in my heart, for I seem to have a real fondness for the heist film. I have even been known to root for the bad guys to get away with it. Maybe what the heist film does is provide a certain wish fulfillment for the audience; it’s a safe way to dabble at the darker side of our nature. I mean, who hasn’t thought about an easy way to make a lot of money, or to get out from under a dire financial situation? Well, these questions are what I believe make the heist film so appealing. So, on that note, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Heist Films”.

When I compiled the list of “The Twenty Greatest Underrated Films”, I felt that I had left off a few good ones. And, since I am a lover of the cinema, I decided to dig up a few more gems to include on “Twenty More Underrated Films”.

In no particular order…

“Badlands” (1973) Terrence Malick. Malick’s first feature is filmed in a cold, detached manner to resemble the affect of the main characters.

“Force of Evil” (1948) Abraham Polonsky. Just about everyone was blacklisted on this tale of capitalism and corruption.

“The Shining” (1980) Stanley Kubrick. Many people were disappointed with this version of King’s novel, but I see it as a marital black comedy, complete with ghosts.

In my mind, I collect great performances as one would collect baseball cards. And, when I find one that’s valuable, I file it away in my mind, forever. Some of these performances have been forgotten, or they just never got their proper due. So, without further ado, I give you “The Twenty Greatest Underrated Male Performances”.

In no particular order…

Steve McQueen “Baby the Rain Must Fall” (1965) Robert Mulligan. Drawing on his own troubled youth, McQueen brought a real resonance to this doomed character.

Jeff Goldblum “The Fly” (1986) David Cronenberg. Finally, Goldblum’s mannerisms were used to good effect. Cronenberg also brought out a poignancy that is missing in most of his work.

Jeff Bridges “Fearless” (1993) Peter Weir. Never one to shy away from playing unsympathetic characters, Bridges brought a fevered intensity to this troubled man.

John Heard “Cutter’s Way” (1981) Ivan Passer. Modern day Ahab played with great humor and power by this underrated actor.

Dustin Hoffman “Straight Time” (1978) Ulu Grosbard. Hoffman plays career criminal Max Dembo like a man who doesn’t know which way to turn. He lets us see into this man’s frightened heart.

Jason Robards “A Thousand Clowns” (1965) Fred Coe. The other actors won the Tonys and the Oscars, so somehow this iconic performance was forgotten. It’s too bad, because it’s quite skillful.

Donald Sutherland “MASH” (1970) Robert Altman. Sure, it made him a star, but most people don’t remember that he’s even in the movie. He was somehow overshadowed by all the surroundings, but it’s a supreme comic performance.

Elliot Gould “The Long Goodbye” (1973) Robert Altman. Gould’s take on Marlowe was quite unique. He updated him but kept his essence.

Alan Arkin “Yosserian” (1970) Mike Nichols. I know Arkin didn’t like his performance, but I think he embodied this character perfectly.

Boris Karloff “The Body Snatcher” (1944) Robert Wise. What’s so compelling about Karloff’s performance is that he shows you why he’s become the man he is.

Robert DeNiro “The King Of Comedy” (1983) Martin Scorsese. This ferocious clown was too disturbing for audiences back in 1983. Now, he seems almost reasonable in a sick way.

Walter Matthau “Charlie Varrick” (1973) Don Siegal. Unusual role for Matthau brought out the darkest colors he ever exhibited as an actor.

Gene Hackman “Scarecrow” (1973) Jerry Schatzberg. This guarded, tough-minded man was played gloriously by Hackman. What I’ve always admired about his work here is that he always includes the hope of the dreamer.

Peter O’Toole “Brotherly Love” (1970) J. Lee Thompson. Only an actor of absolute grace could pull off this sad, and at times, morally questionable man.

Humphrey Bogart “In a Lonely Place” (1952) Nicolas Ray. Produced by Bogart’s own company, this sublime performance haunts one, because of the sheer sadness this legendary actor brought to the role.